Diamond in the Rough
by Writers-Cramp
Summary: Lily is just an ordinary Muggle until a disaster of magical proportions turns her life around forever
1. Ch 1: Bouncing Beds and Making Plans

Diamond in the Rough  
  
Disclaimer- Sadly, I own nothing. Well, practically nothing, a few random characters who, as of yet have no real importance.  
  
  
  
"Kowabunga!!"11-year old Lillian Evans screamed as she dove headlong into her parents bed. Michal Evans grunted as his youngest daughter landed full-force on his broad back. He rolled over, grinning sleepily at his wife as Lily began bouncing happily on their mattress.  
  
"Well somebody's in a good mood this morning," he muttered good naturedly as he gently tugged his daughters vibrant red curls. Lily stuck out her tongue, and squinted her brilliant emerald eyes at him.  
  
"You wanna know why??" she asked mischeiviously. Michal and Rose Evans groaned affectionately, then chorused along with her as she detailed her plans for that week.  
  
"First Amy and I are flying to Paris, by ourselves! And then we're meeting her Aunt Beatrice and visiting all the famous museums and operas and places and all sorts of stuff. On Saturday we're going to the beach and I'm gonna learn to surf and everything! And Sunday I come home and you'll all be sitting at the airport waiting and missing me sooooo much! Right??"  
  
"Of course honey," Rose said. "We'll be counting the days."  
  
"Good!" Lily grinned and bolted for the door. "I need to go call Amy, we're leaving in .. like 4 hours!!"  
  
"Are you sure Beatrice Michaels knows what she's getting in to?" Michal asked as he fell back into his pillows.  
  
"Trust me," Rose grinned. "I've known Bea since we were kids, she'll be ready for any mischief those two can dish up."  
  
***  
  
Lily skipped into the kitchen at breakneck speed, her long curls streaming out behind her. "I'm going to Paaaaarrrrris!!" she sang to her sour faced older sister as she poured herself a heaping bowl of cereal.  
  
Petunia Evans attempted to flick her limp blond hair over her shoulders with spunk, but it fell back lifelessly to her bony shoulders. "Well I'm just glad it gets you out of my face for a week," she grumped. "I bet it'll rain the whole time and you'll be absolutely miserable." With an unpleasant smile Petunia heaved herself out of her chair and stalked out of the kitchen.  
  
Lily stuck out her tongue at Petunia's retreating back and had just stuffed an enormous spoonful of cereal into her mouth when the doorbell rang.  
  
"I'll get it!" she screamed, spewing bits of half-chewed breakfast all over the counter. "Oops" she muttered and guiltily swept it onto the floor where her dog Bruno was begging for scraps.  
  
She ran into the hall, elbowed her sister out of the way and flung open the door.  
  
"Lily!" Amy Sanders screeched, her multitude of blond pigtails sticking out of her head at an array of unexpected angles. She jumped on her best friend, knocking her to the floor. The two girls hugged and screamed unintelligible nonsense at each other.  
  
"Can you believe it?" Amy asked. "We're going to Paris! By ourselves!"  
  
"I know!" Lily grinned. "This is soooo cool! I can't wait to go already!"  
  
Mrs. Sanders stepped delicately over the girls and grinned weakly up at Rose Evans as she sleepily descended for the second story.  
  
"She's been like this all morning," Mrs. Sanders explained ruefully. "I just didn't know what to do with her."  
  
"Tell me about it," Michal muttered as he watched the girls rolling around the foyer.  
  
"Oh well," Rose sighed. "Would you like some coffee, Janice? We might as well wait it out together."  
  
The three adults walked into the kitchen leaving their offspring plotting ways to make their flight a little more interesting.  
  
Unfortunately for the girls, they were not the only ones planning disruptions. Less than 20 miles away another pair of troublemakers was finalizing their plans for the day. Theirs however, went far beyond harmless childhood pranks. 


	2. Ch 2: Sleepy Eyes and Fallon Friends

Disclaimer: Unfortunately most of the characters in this fic are on temporary loan from the one and only JK Rawlings, they'll have to be returned after the conclusion (, hopefully with out too much wear and tear…  
  
  
  
"I call dibbs on the window-seat!" Amy Sanders screamed into her best friends ear as the pair raced down the gate to their plane.  
  
"Not if I get there first," Lily Evans hollered. Lily's longer legs allowed her to pull a few steps ahead of her friend as they rounded the corner to enter the plane. An old, gray-haired gentleman blocked the small cockpit door. Unfortunately Lily was unable to stop herself and ran head-long into the unsuspecting man. The collision knocked them both to the floor and caused the old man to drop his briefcase, scattering papers everywhere.  
  
"I'm so sorry," Lily blushed as she scrambled up from the floor. The old man smiled wryly and sprang up with an agility suprising in someone so old.  
  
"It's quite all right," he mumbled shyly, his eyes downcast. He bent and began to gather his upset papers.  
  
"Let me help you with that," Lily insisted and gathered up a handful.  
  
"No!" The man cried hastily and grabbed the sheets from her grasp. Lily gasped and stared at the man in confusion. "I mean," the man fumbled, the tips of his prominent ears turning pink in embarrassment. "I really couldn't trouble you, You ought to be getting on board, I think your friend may have beaten you to that window seat," Lily glanced around and growled when she realized Amy had already boarded the plane.  
  
" Well, I'm terribly sorry for running into you sir," she called out as she hurried back towards her seat.  
  
Lily finally found Amy bouncing happily on the window seat halfway back in the crowded plane. Amy grinned cheekily up at her glowering friend, stuck her tongue out and turned back towards the small window. "I think I can see Mom at the terminal," she chirped, deliberately misinterpreting Lily's black expression. Lily sighed and slipped into the middle seat determined to ignore her annoyingly chipper friend for the entire ride, or at least the first 10 minutes.  
  
"Well, it looks like we meet again," a voice sighed from the aisle. Lily turned and saw the old man from the gate easing his briefcase into the overhead storage bin. He smiled down at her, "May I sit?" he asked, pointing to the third seat in the section.  
  
" Of course," Lily said, grinning up at the shy stranger. He smiled and plopped down beside her.  
  
"My name is August Fallon," he said, holding out his hand for her to shake, "I don't think we were properly introduced in the hallway."  
  
"No, I guess not," Lily smiled shaking his hand enthusiastically, "I'm Lily Evans and this is my extremely annoying, seat stealing best friend Amy Sanders."  
  
"Pleased to meet ya," Amy sang, leaning all the way across Lily to shake Mr. Fallon's hand.  
  
Further conversation between the three seatmates was stalled as the stewardess warned them that the flight was prepared to leave and began to run through takeoff procedures. Amy went back to her absent minded stare out the window and Lily dug a book out of her bookbag and began to read with relish. Mr. Fallon closed his small gray eyes and appeared to fall asleep, though Lily noticed he remained as stiff and nervous as he was awake. Forty minutes into the flight he awoke and gazed around as if he was horribly confused. He stared at Lily for a few minutes without recognizing her.  
  
"Mr. Fallon?" Lily asked, frightened by his strange behavior, "Are you allright?"  
  
The old man started at the name but appeared to remember himself and sank back into his seat. "Fallon," he mumbled, under his breath. "I'm quite allright my dear," he smiled at Lily, "old age just caught up with me for a moment."  
  
Lily nodded, "My grandmother does that all the time, sometimes she completely forgets who she is, what she's doing and everything. It must stink getting old,"  
  
He grinned sadly, "You have no idea, child, no idea at all."  
  
"Hey Mister Fallon?" Lily asked suddenly, "Weren't your eyes gray earlier?"  
  
His wide brown eyes widened in alarm and he appeared almost frightened as he stuttered for an answer. "Well yes, actually, my eyes. They sometimes, occasionally do that, change you know. When I'm very tired." He fumbled for a flask tucked into his wide leather belt. After a few sips from the flask he leaned back and closed his eyes. "If you give me a few moments to rest they'll be back to normal."  
  
"Ohhkay," Lily sighed, rolling her eyes at the man's strange behavior and returned to her book.  
  
A few moments later a thin man dressed all in black brushed past, knocking into Fallon's thin elbow. The old man's eyes snapped open, gray once again, and glared up as three more men hurried past, all dressed in the same monotonous black cloaks. His face fell in shock as the first man turned to speak. "Malfoy," Fallon whispered in undisguised horror. 


	3. Forma Naturalis and Changing Course

Ch 3  
  
  
  
"Malfoy!"  
  
August Fallon's startled hiss reached the ears of the man in black. He slowly surveyed the airlines passengers, his slanted silver eyes glaring hatefully across the aisles.  
  
"Mr. Fallon?" Lily asked hesitantly, "Do you know that man,"  
  
"Hush child" Fallon ordered harshly, "I've got to think," His thin bony hands shook uncontrollably as he grasped the thin armrests of his chair. His dull gray eyes flashed and raced from the tall man in black to the windows and back again. "I'd never make it," he whispered. With shaking hands he drew out a thin column of wood from his long pockets. He waved the stick inconspicuously and Lily was shocked to see a gentle stream of red fire flow from the end of the stick. The fire struck the wall of the plane and was completely absorbed. "Shit" Fallon hissed painfully, "They've got dampeners."  
  
The man in black suddenly swung around and cried to his companions who were father up the plane. "The Master was correct. What we seek is indeed aboard this plane." He glared in the direction of Lily and Mr. Fallon. "Aura Magicus" he cried, pointing a sliver of wood at the occupants of the plane. Lily began to scream as Fallon was forced back against his seat by an unseen hand and a bright red aura began to flicker malevolently around him.  
  
"There is your wizard, gentlemen," the man in black informed his companions and they all rushed towards the struggling Mr. Fallon. Two hulking men grabbed Fallon's thin arms and dragged him into the aisle. They held him upright as the man Fallon had identified as "Malfoy" came to stand nose to nose with him. "He is in disguise," Malfoy spat and drew his wooden stick from his pocket. "Forma Naturalis". Instantly Fallon's face began to melt away, like wax form a candle. He appeared to straighten and grow a good six inches. The tweed coat and trousers he had worn faded away and were replaced by a long black robe, similar to the ones worn by his attackers. Lily continued to scream, forcing herself as far from her former seatmate as possible. Amy Sanders woke to her best friends panicked screams, and, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, the sight of August Fallon changing form. She fainted clean away.  
  
Once his features realigned themselves, the man who used to be August Fallon, turned sadly towards his screaming seatmate. Lily's scream stopped in her throat as she saw the despair and sorrow expressed in the wide brown eyes that stared back at her. Fallon's new face was young and unlined. He was tall with broad shoulders and a muscular form. Curly light brown hair fell carelessly over his expressive eyes. He blinked, and mumbled something under his breath. A chill came over Lily and she felt something cold and hard tighten around her neck. The sensation was gone in a moment.  
  
"Romulus Lupin," Malfoy hissed with a sinister smile. "I was so hoping it would be you that Dumbledore sent. But of course, who else would the old fool send on such a dangerous mission?" Malfoy reached into his long pockets and withdrew a long golden key. "All right everybody, say buh-bye". He grabbled Romulus' wrist and both men disappeared. Each of Malfoy's comrades took hold of the key, and one by one, winked out of existence.  
  
Suddenly Lily became aware of the commotion aboard the plane. People were screaming, and crying everywhere. A few were running up and down the aisles, peering out the windows. She had been so caught up in the drama before her face, that she hadn't felt the plane change course, or the new horribly sharp pitch of the flight. She leaned over Amy's unconscious form and peered out, only to see the brilliant green English countryside rushing up to meet the plane.  
  
A tall young man came rushing from the front of the plane, his face was as pale as a ghost and his hands shook horribly. "The pilots are dead," he cried. " They've killed the pilots!" At this the panic aboard grew tenfold. Mother's grasped their confused children to their breasts and the murmur of fervent prayer grumbled around the confines of the cabin. Lily leaned back in her chair, grasping Amy's unfeeling hand in her own and thought of home. Her father, and mother, and even Petunia raced before her eyes and tear began to leak slowly down her cheekbones. "Good-bye" she whispered as she watched the hard earth reach up to meet her. 


	4. Death Departs and Dumbledore Arrives

I don't own anybody in this one, just the plot, twisted as it is  
  
-----------------------------------------Ch4- Dumbledore-------------------- -------------------  
  
"I've died," Lily thought to herself as the world came back into focus. "I've died and gone to heaven," It was silent, there were no cries or pleas, or any sounds at all. She couldn't even hear her own breathing. Slowly Lily opened her eyes, and jammed them back shut again. "Nope, this is definitely Hell." She sat, in her perfectly intact airline seat, surrounded by broken, horribly mutilated bodies, and twisted wreckage. Steam and flames issued from millions of damaged vents, but Lily felt none of it. "It's a dream" she mumbled to herself, "Just a dream, I'll wake up in a few minutes and I'll be safe and sound in my room, just a few more minutes." All around the plane men in black cloaks began to appear, solemn and cautious as they approached the smoldering plane, wands at the ready. A tall man with long wavy auburn hair and piercing blue eyes drew closet to the wreckage and caught sight of Lily Evans, sitting like a queen upon her throne among the devastation. He beckoned his companions forward and their eyes grew huge at the sight. "It's not possible," one of the men whispered. The tall auburn man slowly walked up to Lily's chair, and after a moments hesitation squatted down next to her. He could hear her muttering haltingly under her breath as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Her brilliant green eyes sprang open and she gazed at him in shock. "I'm suppose to wake up now," she informed him in a shaky quiet voice. His blue eyes softened with concern, "I'm sorry," he whispered. "My name is Albus Dumbledore, and I'm going to need to ask you a few questions. But perhaps here isn't the best place to do it," He helped Lily undo her seat belt and he gently picked her up out of the seat. "It'll be alright," he told her. "Just come along with me for now, we'll get it all sorted out." "Wait!" Lily cried, turning back towards her seat, "What about Amy, she needs to come too!" "Was Amy on the plane too?" Dumbledore asked worriedly. "Yes, she was sitting right next to me, we can't leave her here!" "Please," Dumbledore demanded sadly, "come away," "No!" Lily cried and rushed back, pulling a screen of metal away from where her friend had been sitting. "Amy needs." . Lily gasped and couldn't finish her sentence as she caught sight of her best friends body, torn and ravaged by the crash. She started to shake uncontrollably, and huge tears rolled down her cheeks, "No" she gasped. "Please, Amy, wake up," She began to sink to her knees beside Amy's body, but Dumbledore caught her, scooping her up in his long arms and cradling her against his chest. "I'm taking her back to the Ministry," he informed the others. "Try and figure out what you can here before I come back, and for God's sake, somebody put Muggle repellants on this place," With that final order, Dumbledore and Lily disappeared. 


	5. Ch 5: Vision of Voldemort and Rememberin...

Diamond in the Rough----Chapter 5  
  
Disclaimer- Everything(and everybody) you've heard of, I'm borrowing, everything else is MINE!! (yay)  
  
A loud thud sounded against the heavy oaken door of the inner chamber. A tall thin man dressed in black turned slowly from the large book spread across his desk. "Enter," he ordered in a low hissing whisper. Tirano Malfoy slipped cautiously into his master's chamber. He took a deep breath and bowed low. "Forgive me, my lord, for interrupting." "Tell me what you have learned, Malfoy. What of Romulus Lupin?" Malfoy's throat tightened compulsively, "I'm sorry my lord, we found nothing." "You told me the beacon was aboard that plane," "It was." Malfoy muttered nervously. "All of our receptors recognized the beacon as being nearby. And Lupin was the only wizard aboard." "Clearly you were mistaken." The Dark Lord snapped. "You have failed in you mission Tirano Malfoy, perhaps I misplaced my trust in your abilities." "No, my lord" Malfoy cried. "I swear I will fix this mistake, I will not fail you again." "See that you don't" Malfoy sighed in relief, his masters temper was unpredictable, servants had been put to death for smaller transgressions than his. "What shall I do with Lupin now, sire?" "Kill him" Voldemort ordered breezily, turning back to his book. Malfoy turned to leave, but just before he slipped out the door the Dark Lord spun again. "No wait, Bring him here, I want to first have a little fun with Dumbledore's pet spy."  
  
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Lily's eyes fluttered open. She shook her head to clear the last remnants of her vision. "What a weird dream," she muttered, glancing around in confusion. She lay on a long fuzzy purple couch in the strangest room she'd ever seen. The walls were bright green and the carpet yellow, long black bookcases covered three of the walls and a huge brick fireplace dominated the fourth. Beside her couch was a long black desk, covered with papers and strange whirring gadgets. She slowly got up from her seat and stretched her cramped back. She took a step closer to the desk and was about to reach for one of the strange objects when a door behind her slid open. "I'm glad to see your finally awake Miss Evans," "I..I'm sorry," Lily muttered as she stared at the incomer. "How do you know my name? Do I know you?" The man's friendly eyes flashed in concern, "You don't remember?" "Remember what?" Lily asked, then cried out in pain as images began to return to her, images of flame and bodies, images of her best friend crumpled and ruined. "No" she screamed, "I won't see it, it never happened." "It did, Lily," Dumbledore said softly as he sunk to his knees beside her. "I know it's hard but I need to know what happened aboard that plane." Tears streamed violently down Lily's cheeks as she tried to turn away from him. He caught her arms gently and held her there. "I need to know Lily" "Fallon," she whispered. Dumbledore's face paled considerately and his grip on her elbows tightened. "You knew August Fallon? Where is he? What happened to him?" "The took him, but it wasn't really him. His face melted. The man in black called him Lupy or something." Lily spat out between her gulping sobs. "What man in black?" Dumbledore asked hurriedly. "Do you know his name?" "I don't remember," Lily cried. "Mister Fallon knew him, he said his name, but I can't remember," She crumpled at those last words and sobbed brokenly into the carpet. "Alright," Dumbledore sighed, "That's enough for now," He stood slowly and walked out, glancing back at the pitiful heap of Lillian Evans. "Well," Bartemius Crouch cried the moment Dumbledore stepped out of his office. "What did she say?" "The girl is in shock Barty, we can't expect much from her yet." Dumbledore said severely. "Well no, of course not, but I thought, maybe a touch of Veritaserum? We need to know, after all, and desperate times do call for." Crouch's overeager voice trailed off as he glanced into Dumbledore's icy glare. "Well perhaps it can wait," he muttered and turned away. Albus Dumbledore sighed, he had bigger things to worry about than Barty Crouch's overzealous ambition. Lily's parents, for example, and the hard truth he needed to tell them. 


	6. Ch 6: Parental Persuasion and Future Pla...

Diamond in the Rough ***************************Chapter 6*********************************  
  
Disclaimer- Not mine, never will be, *sigh* if only...  
  
"You're kidding me right? I mean, this is some kind of sick joke," Michal Evans was fuming mad. He stalked around the small confines of the Ministry of Magic's Muggle Relations office glaring daggers at anyone who dared interrupt his tirade. "First of all, you're telling me that my daughters a witch, a WITCH! You honestly expect me to believe something like that?" "Not just any witch," Dumbledore sighed, "an unusually powerful one." "She would be, wouldn't she," Rose Evans said, with a slight proud grin beneath her worried tears. "She's a remarkable child," "Rose!" Michal cried, "Are you telling me that you honestly believe this.nonsense??" "I'm starting to," Rose answered calmly. "Think about it, Michal. She survived that horrible plane accident without a scratch, she always had a knack for knowing things before they happen and you remember that time when both the kitchen windows broke when she sneezed." "Oh for crying out loud," Michal groaned. He stamped around the room once more and then flung himself down into the chair next to his wife. "Fine, maybe I'll buy this 'witch' business, now can I please see my daughter?" "Actually," Dumbledore coughed, "There's one more thing," Michal bared his teeth, and leapt out of his chair. "There would be, wouldn't there?" "It appears that your daughter's plane did not go down accidently," Dumbledore explained cautiously. "If this is indeed the case, Lily is the only witness to mass murder. She may become a target." "A target?," Rose whispered fearfully, "from whom?" "We're not entirely sure yet, but we do know that Lily is in great danger," "What can we do?" Rose asked, wiping her eyes bravely. "Wait," Michal ordered, a new tone of concern touching his voice. He leaned over Dumbledore and looked into his eyes. "You swear you're telling me the truth. My daughter is honestly in serious trouble? This isn't just some stunt?" "I'm sorry Mr. Evans," Dumbledore answered, meeting Michal's gaze, "I wish it wasn't so." Michal sank slowly back into his chair, his gaze never leaving Dumbledore. "Tell me what to do," he ordered sadly. "I'd do anything to keep my Lily safe."  
  
*A/N* sorry it's so short, it just made sense to end it there.* more coming, I swear, I finally got around to sitting down with this story and it's all pouring out of my head!! 


	7. Ch 7: New Home and James' Jealousy

Chapter 7- Diamond in the Rough  
  
Jonathon Potter glanced back to examine the little girl sitting in the back seat of his car. She hadn't said a word since her tearful departure from her parents. It had been a horrible scene, Lily, Michal, and Rose were understandably upset over Dumbledore's decision, but it was in the girls best interest. The Dark wizards who were responsible for the plane crash would be sure to come after her once they learned she had survived and her Muggle parents had no way to protect her. Dumbledore had promised to work serious protection spells on the Evans household, but until they were complete Lily was safer staying with a wizard family. "Not too much farther." Jonathon called back to his silent passenger. "I'm sure my family will be very pleased to meet you. Angie, my wife, has always wanted a little girl around the house. Our son is a little too rambunctious for her tastes. I'm sure you'll get along just fine though." He let his idle chatter die off as Lily stared angrily out the window, refusing to acknowledge his presence. He sighed, almost wishing that Dumbledore had saddled somebody else with this assignment. He could tell the girl was going to be uncooperative, not that he blamed her of course, she'd been through a lot in the last day. But still, babysitting duty? Jonathon grimaced. He'd hoped he was a little more senior in the Ministry than to be put in charge of babysitting duty. He pulled the long black caravan into a long, curving driveway, waved to the uniformed gatekeeper and continued up past rolling lawns and extensive gardens towards the Potter mansion. Lily feigned disinterest but couldn't keep her jaw from dropping a few centimeters as the house came into view. A huge white structure with Grecian columns and sculpted balconies stood gracefully in front of a huge sparkling fountain and an extravagant reflecting pool. Jonathon hopped out of the car and opened the passenger door for Lily. "Welcome to my home," he murmered as she stepped out. Lily looked up at him suspiciously. The man had seemed friendly enough, his warm gray eyes sparkled beneath his wire rimmed glasses and his messy blond hair fell carelessly over an unlined forehead. But he was partly responsible for separating her from her parents, Lily reminded herself, and therefore was not to be trusted. "Jonathon?" came a voice from the top of the long steep marble staircase. "Is that you darling?" "Yes, Angie, it's me. And I've brought our new guest." Jonathon answered, smiling up at his wife as she gracefully descended. Angela Potter's long straight black hair flowed out behind her, framing her delicate features dramatically. Her skin was alabaster smooth and devoid of makeup. He huge expressive blue eyes sparkled down at Lily with warmth and patience. "Welcome Lily," she said gently, reaching out to clasp Lily's hand in her own. "Come, I'll show you to your room." Angela led Lily slowly up the staircase, leaving Jonathon to carry the bags. Just as the pair reached the top of the stairs as small whirlwind flashed past them, nearly knocking Lily over. She clung at Angela's side to steady herself as she looked back. A boy about her own age had flung himself violently past them, hurtled down the steps and thrown himself at Jonathon Potter. "Dad!" the boy yelled joyfully, flipping back his unruly black hair. "You're home early, you have to come see the fort Sirius and I built out back, it's killer!! You go sit up there and we can.." "Not now James," Jonathon ordered harshly. "I need to help get Lily situated in her room. Maybe I'll go see your yard thing later." With those words Jonathon brushed past his crestfallen son and hurried up the stairs towards his wife and Lily. "It's a fort, not a thing," James muttered. "Mom?" he asked hopefully, "will you come see it?" "Sorry James, but your father and I need to take care of Lily right now, she's going to need a lot of attention to fell welcome in our home." Angela murmered, steering Lily into the house. James scuffed angrily at the driveway with his sneaker, his warm gray eyes flashing behind his glasses. "Don't know why she needs so much stupid attention," he told his shoes. "She's just a girl." 


	8. Ch 8: Lupin Awakes and Sirius the Shrink

Chapter 8  
  
Romulus Lupin peered groggily around the confines of his cell. His eyes were nearly swollen shut and he could feel his cheeks puffing out in protest from the horrible beating he had sustained. His long black robe was stained with blood and dirt. He winced as he tried to sit.  
  
"The beacon," he exclaimed suddenly, making his head spin. "I've got to warn Dumbledore." Blackness gathered around the edges of his vision as Romulus fought for consciousness. "Got to tell him about the child." As Romulus slowly passed back into oblivion he clung to his last thought, "I'm so sorry, Lily."  
  
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"It's not fair Siri!" James Potter exclaimed as he sat eating ice cream on his back porch with his best friend. "She's been here a month and Mom and Dad still claim she needs all their attention. And just cause she refuses to talk they think she's all traumatized and in need of special treatment."  
  
"You sound jealous to me," Sirius Black sighed lazily, leaning back against the porch steps. His long black hair insisted in flopping over his mischievous brown eyes as he stretched his legs out and prepared for a snooze.  
  
" I am NOT jealous!" James exclaimed. "What do I have to be jealous about? Just cause some no good girl shows up and all of a sudden my parents have no time for me and they're always talking about her and making plans for her and trying to take her places. That doesn't make me jealous."  
  
"Course not Jamsie," Sirius muttered, half-awake. "I agree with you completely."  
  
" You know, it's not enough that she takes over my parents, now they've decided that they're giving her my room! They think she might enjoy the view. The view! Have you ever heard anything that ridiculous? And did they even ask me before moving all my stuff into the guest room?"  
  
His only answer was a loud snore from Sirius. "Some best friend you are," James muttered as he jumped up and stamped away off the porch.  
  
Shortly after James left Lily slipped out of the back door of the house and settled into one of the deep rocking chairs that littered the deck. She had lost a considerable amount of weight since her ordeal, and deep bags were forming under her eyes due to lack of sleep. She barely ate anything, hardly ever slept and had not spoken a word since being removed from her parents. The Potters were near desperate with worry about her, Dumbledore had even visited twice to try and roust her from depression, but nothing worked. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Amy's broken body rising from the wreckage of the plane. At night, when she tried to sleep, Amy and the ragged form of Romulus Lupin rose up and pointed accusatory fingers at her. You could have saved us, they seemed to say. You saved yourself and let us die.  
  
"No," Lily murmured. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Tears began to stream back down her cheeks as she remembered the dreams from the night before.  
  
"Are you alright?" came a concerned voice from her feet.  
  
Lily started, jumping clean out of her seat. She peered around anxiously, looking for the source of the voice. "Whose there?" she whispered, her voice cracked and weak from disuse.  
  
"I'm down here," the voice answered. "I'm too lazy to get up, so you'll just have to look."  
  
Lily peered nervously down over the top step of the porch and spied a boy stretched comfortably out, almost completely hidden by the large bushes surrounding the step. The boy yawned and closed his eyes.  
  
"I asked if you were alright," he repeated.  
  
Lily looked confused. "No, I'm not." She answered. No one in the house had ever asked her that question before, they had pampered her and treated her like an invalid since she'd first arrived. Maybe the boy just didn't know who she was. "I..I'm Lily Evans," she said, and when that statement didn't cause the immediate apology and sympathetic reaction she'd expected, she went on. "You know, I'm the one that.."  
  
"Oh I know who you are," the boy answered with the same careless air. "I know all about you."  
  
Lily felt a flash of her old temper. He knew who she was and still treated her with such disrespect? How dare he! "I don't think you have any right to ask me if I'm alright then, when you know perfectly well that I'm not!"  
  
"Down girl," the boy grinned. "It just seems to me that you have no right not to be alright."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Lily asked in genuine confusion. No one had talked to her like this in weeks. It was actually refreshing. Everyone else was so careful not to upset her, but this boy actually seemed to enjoy ruffling her feathers.  
  
"Well, the way I hear it, a lot of people died so that you could live. You have a special power Lily, but you sure aren't going to do it any good just sitting around here moping. You think you're friend Amy and Rom Lupin would have wanted that? No way! I think you're doing their memory a disservice."  
  
Lily stares at him in awe, "But they're dead," she muttered. "And I'm not. That's not fair."  
  
"Life's not fair," he answered shortly. "My parents died in a car crash two years ago. They were fully trained wizards, both of them Aurors. The best of the best. And they were killed by some silly Muggle contraption. Was that fair? You just have to go with what life gives you, and stop regretting what you don't have." He sighed deeply. "Obviously I'm not going to get any more sleep out here, so if you'll excuse me, I think I'll head up to the sack."  
  
Lily's mouth fluttered like a goldfish, unable to find anything to say. She stood dumbfounded as he sauntered into the house. The moment he was gone she slumpt down onto the deck floor. Was he right, she wondered, had she been selfish and unreasonable? Amy wouldn't have wanted her to be depressed, Amy loved life above anything else. Was it unfair to Amy's memory for Lily to stop living her life to its fullest because of guilt?  
  
Wracked by these harsh new questions Lily curled herself up into a ball on the deck and began to rethink her future. 


	9. Ch 9: A View and Magical Mirrors

Disclaimer- Not mine, never mine, bummer huh? Well, the mirror's mine, she's crazy, but mine o mine Sorry it's been forever, I've been working on another story and just kinda found this one again.. I'll try to work on it again, I rather like it  
  
Chapter Nine: Magical Mirrors  
  
The early morning sun beamed cheerfully through open windows onto the crisp white pillow and the tiny sleeping head of Lillian Evans. Her curling red locks lay in tumbled strips, bright contrast to the stark bedclothes. Slowly, squinting against the sun, Lily opened her eyes and stared directly out through her window.  
  
It really is a lovely view. Lily thought to herself as her eyes passed over rolling green hills, across a sparkling clear pond where two white geese were just setting out for a morning swim and up the slopes of the pristine mountain range that bordered the Potter's property. A slight breath of air wafted in from the window, teasing a bright strand of Lily's hair up off the pillow. In the breeze Lily could just make out the smell of  
  
Below her, Lily could just make out the sounds of the Potter household beginning to awaken. On any other morning she would have remained in bed, her back sullenly towards the window, refusing to acknowledge the outside world. Despite Mrs. Potter's best efforts to encourage her to feel like a member of the Potter household, Lily had locked herself in the room she had been given and refused to join the family for meals, or conversation.  
  
This morning is going to be different, Lily promised herself, remembering her dreams from the night before. Amy had told her, hadn't she, that life was for living,. Lily remembered so clearly her friends piercing blue eyes and sardonic smile. "Don't let them win," Amy had told her in her sleep. "Don't you ever let them win. Hiding yourself away gives them exactly what they want."  
  
"Fine" Lily said aloud, startling herself out of her reverie. Her bottom lip began to tremble and her eyes swam for a moment, but as Lily dragged herself out of bed, she felt stronger, more confident than she had in weeks. She peered around her new room, seeing it as though for the first time. The large bed by the window stood opposite a large wooden dresser, marked with several deep scours and what looked suspiciously like burn marks, and a huge mirror. The entire wall by the door was covered with shelves filled to overflowing with books of all shapes and sizes. In the corner stood a large trunk, half-opened, in which lay several cauldrons, a few greasy looking bags and an empty cage that looked like it used to hold some sort of large bird.  
  
As Lily investigated the room she stepped in front of the large mirror on top of the wooden dresser. Pausing for a moment to examine herself, Lily sighed at her reflection. The bags under her eyes had become even more pronounced, her cheekbones stuck out dramatically and her eyes appeared to take up half of her face. "I look like one of those starving children in Africa that are always on the telley," she groaned.  
  
"Oh come now," said a voice from directly in front of her eyes. "Given what I usually have to work with, you're not half bad at all. Why you should just see Master James after he and young Master Black have gone at it. Oh dearie me, the things I have to put up with."  
  
"I'm sorry," Lily muttered, glancing all around her. "But I'm afraid I can't see you. Who's speaking?"  
  
"Of course you can see me, silly. You're looking at me right now."  
  
Lily peered at her reflection in the mirror, seriously freaked out by the seemingly disembodied voice. The image staring back at her slowly winked, stuck out her tongue and spun in a circle. "See?"  
  
"Oh, this is too weird," Lily cried, backing away from her gyrating reflection. The image stopped spinning like a top and glanced back at her.  
  
"Lily, dearest. You're in a wizard's house now, and a Potter's at that. If you're going to get freaked out over unusual things, a magical mirror is the least of your worries."  
  
"Now," said reflection-Lily, thoughtfully, "You're going down to breakfast right? Of course you are, silly me. It's just that you've been cooped up in here so long I was afraid you'd never decide to leave.. but anyway. We've got to get you ready! You've got to make an entrance, your first meal with the family. Oh it's such an honor!" The mirror giggled gleefully, rubbing her hands together in unconcealed joy. "You have no idea how wonderful it is to have something to work with for once! All Master James ever wants to wear is Quidditch robes, or beat up jeans. He's soo no fun! But you!" here the image paused and glared at the quaking Lily with greedy interest. "You've got potential! The things I could do with you."  
  
"I was just going to go down like this" muttered Lily, looking down at her long gray sweatshirt and baggy sweatpants.  
  
The image emitted a horrible shriek and throwing its hand to its forehead, proceeded to faint clear off the mirror. Lily was hard put to stifle a giggle as the image, clearly shaken from its fall, climbed back into the frame.  
  
"Do you seriously mean to tell me," the furious mirror asked, "that you planned to go down to breakfast, with the POTTERS, dressed. like. THAT!!??" Lily grinned ruefully up at the image that shook her head and sighed. "Well then, I've got my work cut out for me, shall we get started?"  
  
Fifteen minutes later, after refusing seven different outfits that ranged from floor length cocktail dresses to leather jackets and chain purses, Lily stepped back in front of the mirror for a final inspection. The reflection squinted, turned her head this way and that, asked Lily to spin a couple times before declaring the mission a success. Lily was now dressed in a comfortable, but classy pair of khakis and an emerald green short- sleeved shirt that brought out the color of her eyes.  
  
"Now," asked the mirror, "was that so hard?"  
  
"I guess not," Lily responded, grinning reluctantly up at her reflection. "And I actually do feel better getting out of those frumpy clothes."  
  
"That's my girl", sighed the image, pretending to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. "Now go get'em tiger. You show that breakfast who's boss!"  
  
Lily smiled ruefully. "I'm still afraid," she explained. "I don't want to go down there, it's so much easier to stay up here."  
  
"The important things in life are always hard, but they're always worth the effort." The reflection looked down at Lily with an affectionate smile. "You'll have to be brave today, to face what you saw and what you heard. But you're strong enough, you'll pull through. Everything'll be okay, you'll see."  
  
With one last sniff and a baleful look at her reflection, Lily turned toward the door. She slipped her hand around the doorknob, barely noticing that she was shaking like a leaf. "I can do it," she muttered and turned the knob and shoved the door open.  
  
Suddenly Lily's world was filled with the sound of rushing water, a freezing cold sensation came over her limbs and she stopped in her tracks, unable to move, through the sound of water she could hear a peculiar high- pitched laughter. 


End file.
